Red and yellow — Swim here
The patrolled area. Lifesavers are watching the water between these two flags. Swim between them and nowhere else.
← Emergency and safety
Before your first swim
Beach and water safety
Australian beaches are beautiful and some of them can kill you. Most of the danger is predictable: where there are lifesavers, what the flags say, and which parts of the coast have jellyfish or crocodiles. This page is the short version.
Checked 16 October 2026. In an emergency call 000.
Where are you going? Pick a state for local notes, or skip.
Pick your state or territory, type a postcode, or skip.
The one rule
Swim between the red and yellow flags. That is the only part of the beach with lifesavers watching. No flags means no lifesavers, so swim somewhere else or not at all.
Surf Life Saving calls rips the number one hazard on Australian beaches, and the safest way to avoid them is to swim at a patrolled beach between the flags. Always swim with someone else, and never after drinking alcohol or taking drugs.
Sourceshealthdirect — beach safety, flags and signsSurf Life Saving Queensland — rip currentsSurf Life Saving Australia — rips remain the most deadly hazard
What the flags mean
Red — Beach closed
There is no swimming and you should not enter the water.
Yellow — Be careful
There are hazards in the water. A yellow warning sign nearby shows what the hazard is, such as large waves or jellyfish.
Black and white chequered — No boards
Shows where surfing and board riding are not allowed. If you are surfing, keep clear of it.
Flags go up and down as the day changes, and patrols may only run at certain times. Read the signs at the beach entrance, and check the Beachsafe listing for the beach you are going to. The flag drawings on this page are for recognition, so where they differ from the flags on the sand, trust the beach.
Sources for this sectionhealthdirect — beach safety, flags and signsBeachsafe — every patrolled beach, live hazards, offline app
Where to take extra care
A rough guide, not a boundary. Hazards do not stop at a line on a map, so always read the signs on the day.
Crocodile country
In Queensland it starts near Gladstone, where crocodiles are few, and runs north to Cape York and the Gulf. It covers all of the Northern Territory and the north of Western Australia. Never swim in rivers, estuaries or creeks here, and not on beaches unless a sign says it is safe.
SourcesQueensland Government — where are crocodiles found?Beachsafe — saltwater crocodiles
Dangerous marine stingers
Box jellyfish live in the tropical waters north of Agnes Water, around all of the Northern Territory, and in Western Australia down to Exmouth. Irukandji live in the same waters but reach a little further south, from southern Fraser Island. Highest risk from November to May.
SourcesSurf Life Saving Queensland — marine stingersBeachsafe — Irukandji
Everywhere on the coast
Rip currents are found on surf beaches all around Australia, and bluebottles are found right across the country.
SourcesSurf Life Saving Queensland — rip currentsBeachsafe — bluebottle
The hazards, and what to do
RipsNot in your state
Number one 000Someone in trouble? Call 000
Do now Float, raise your arm and call out. Swim parallel to the beach to get out.
112 from a mobile · 106 text relay (deaf or speech impaired) · free interpreter: say your language · stay on the line.
A rip is a channel of water pulling out to sea, and Surf Life Saving calls it the number one hazard on Australian beaches. On average about 26 people a year die in rips.
- Stay calm and conserve your energy.
- Raise your arm and call out. You may be rescued.
- Float with the current. It may return you to a shallow sandbank.
- Or swim parallel to the beach, or towards the breaking waves, to escape it.
SourcesSurf Life Saving Queensland — rip currentsSurf Life Saving Australia — rips remain the most deadly hazard
Box jellyfish and IrukandjiNot in your state
Tropical north 000Call 000 now
Do now Out of the water. Pour vinegar on the sting for 30 seconds. Start CPR if they are not breathing.
112 from a mobile · 106 text relay (deaf or speech impaired) · free interpreter: say your language · stay on the line.
Dangerous, and in the tropical north only (see the map). The stinger season typically runs November to May, but stingers can be in the water all year in tropical Queensland. A severe box jellyfish sting can stop a person breathing and cause cardiac arrest. Irukandji are small and usually not seen. Their sting is minor at first, then severe pain, vomiting and sweating can start 5 to 40 minutes later.
- In stinger season, swim only at a patrolled beach under the guidance of lifesavers.
- Stinger nets help against box jellyfish but are not reliably effective against Irukandji.
- If stung: get the person out of the water, call 000, pour vinegar over the sting for at least 30 seconds, and start CPR if they are not breathing.
- For any tropical jellyfish sting, keep the person out of the water and watched for 45 minutes.
SourcesSurf Life Saving Queensland — marine stingersBeachsafe — IrukandjiShire of Broome — Irukandji (Nets and Irukandji)ANZCOR — marine envenomation (9.4.5)
BluebottlesNot in your state
All coastsDo now Rinse with sea water. Hot water for 20 minutes. No vinegar.
Found all around Australia. A sting is painful. The long blue tentacle can stay stuck to the skin.
- Don’t rub it. Pick off any stuck tentacles.
- Rinse well with sea water, not fresh water.
- Put the area in hot water, no hotter than you can comfortably stand, for 20 minutes.
- If the pain does not ease, or there is no hot water, use a cold pack. Get medical help if symptoms continue.
- Do not use vinegar on a bluebottle.
SourcesBeachsafe — bluebottleSurf Life Saving Queensland — marine stingersANZCOR — marine envenomation (9.4.5)
Saltwater crocodilesNot in your state
Northern rivers and coast 000If someone is bitten, call 000
Do now Stay well back from the water. Never swim where crocodiles might live.
112 from a mobile · 106 text relay (deaf or speech impaired) · free interpreter: say your language · stay on the line.
Found in rivers and swamps across the north, and sometimes on beaches. Adult males can grow to 5.5 metres, swim at about 32 km/h and run short distances on land.
- Obey every crocodile sign. Never enter water where crocodiles might live, even if there is no sign.
- Stand a few metres back from the water’s edge, and stay away from slide marks on the bank.
- Never dangle your arms and legs over the side of a boat.
- Camp at least 50 metres from the water’s edge.
SourcesBeachsafe — saltwater crocodilesQueensland Government — where are crocodiles found?
SharksNot in your state
Very rare 000If someone is bitten, call 000
Do now Swim between the red and yellow flags. Leave the water if a siren sounds.
112 from a mobile · 106 text relay (deaf or speech impaired) · free interpreter: say your language · stay on the line.
Attacks are very rare, and the safest part of the beach is between the red and yellow flags, where lifeguards keep a lookout. If they see a shark they sound a siren or ring a bell and tell you to leave the water straight away.
- Don’t swim after dusk, at night, or before dawn.
- Don’t swim alone, or while bleeding.
- Avoid murky water, estuary mouths, canals, and places with schools of fish.
SourceBeachsafe — sharks
Rocks, alcohol and sunNot in your state
EverywhereDo now Wear a lifejacket to rock fish. Never swim after drinking.
Rock fishing is one of the most dangerous hobbies in Australia, and a disproportionate number of people die doing it.
- Before you fish from rocks, watch the waves and swell, check for slippery rock, tell someone where you are going, and wear a lifejacket. A lifejacket is compulsory in declared areas of NSW.
- Never swim after drinking alcohol or taking drugs.
- Slip on a shirt, slop on SPF 50+ sunscreen, slap on a hat, seek shade, slide on sunglasses.
SourcesBeachsafe — rock fishinghealthdirect — beach safety, flags and signsCancer Council — sun safety
By region
| Where | Main risks | Good to know | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queensland, north of Agnes Water (Cairns, Port Douglas, Townsville, Whitsundays) | Box jellyfish, Irukandji, crocodiles | Stinger season is typically November to May. Swim at patrolled beaches. | SLS Queensland, Qld Government |
| Queensland, south of Agnes Water (Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane) | Rips, bluebottles, sharks, and Irukandji north of southern Fraser Island | Swim between the flags at a patrolled beach. | SLS Queensland, Beachsafe |
| Northern Territory (Darwin, Kakadu, the Top End) | Crocodiles, box jellyfish and Irukandji in all NT waters | Crocodiles are found across the whole Territory. Obey the signs, and never swim where crocodiles might live. | Beachsafe, SLS Queensland |
| Western Australia, north (Kimberley, Broome, Pilbara) | Crocodiles, box jellyfish and Irukandji, as far south as Exmouth for the jellyfish | Check local signs before you swim. | Beachsafe, SLS Queensland |
| Everywhere else (NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, southern Western Australia) | Rips, bluebottles, sharks, rock fishing | Patrol times vary by beach and season. Check Beachsafe before you go. | Beachsafe, SLS Queensland |
A good habit
Before you go in: look at the flags, read the sign at the entrance, and ask a lifesaver where it is safest to swim. The Beachsafe app lists every patrolled beach with live hazards and works offline.
Sourceshealthdirect — beach safety, flags and signsBeachsafe — every patrolled beach, live hazards, offline app
Where this page and a sign on the beach disagree, trust the sign. Tell us on the feedback page.